The official e-newsletter of The Equestrian College Advisor.

From the blog:

Hello, readers. My name is Randi and I’m a control freak.

This should come as no surprise to those who have read this blog for a while, as I’ve often spoke of my competitive aspirations at FEI dressage and alluded to my Type A+ personality traits (each a dead giveaway on its own). But for the newer readers (welcome!), it was worth stating. Read More

Sometimes the measure of a program is how it treats its school horses when they retire.

Emory & Henry has just raised the bar.

Students at Judson have a unique opportunity to share their love of horses with residents at the local nursing home.

How competitive is it to get into college?

The short answer is: It depends. Competitive schools are getting more competitive but 80 percent of schools accept at least half their applicants.

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FAFSA v. CSS - Your Guide to the CSS ProfileWhile the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the most-used financial aid application in the United States and the one most families are familiar with, certain colleges and universities also require prospective students to submit the CSS Profile, a separate, more in-depth form administered by the College Board (the group in charge of the SAT).The Profile differs from the FAFSA in certain specific ways; most notably, the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) generated by the Profile is based on the financial aid awarding methodology employed by a particular college or university. Thus, while the FAFSA-produced EFC is the same regardless of what school a student has applied to, the CSS Profile EFC can vary from school to school.Other differences between the FAFSA and Profile are:

• The FAFSA may be submitted at no cost; the Profile charges for each school it is sent to.

• The FAFSA becomes available October 1 of the student’s senior year but doesn’t necessarily have to be submitted in the fall. (Check with each institution to know what they require.) Specific deadlines for the Profile likewise vary by institution.

• The FAFSA does not require home equity information and the Profile does (though not all schools use this data in their calculation).

• The FAFSA focuses on the custodial parent of the student applicant and does not require financial information from a parent who is non-custodial. Some schools who utilize the Profile require information from both the custodial and the non-custodial parent.

• The FAFSA will calculate down to a family contribution of zero; the Profile automatically assumes a minimum family/student contribution.

The colleges that require students to submit the CSS Profile are often among the more elite found in the United States and are also the ones who are most likely to meet a family’s financial need. (In fact, many of them have as much as twice the endowment funds of non-Profile schools.) The best course of action for a student who has applied to a CSS Profile school is to mark down the deadline and begin the paperwork as soon as possible (at least two weeks before the deadline). Have tax records and financial documents handy and don’t be afraid to reach out to the financial aid officers at your Profile schools for assistance if you are confused or have specific questions.

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